Adjustable bag holder



March 3, 1942. I AMMQN 2,275,000

ADJUSTABLE BAG HOLDER Filed Sept. 30, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 jkzwarcz HIT/1712a,

March 3, 1942. E. R. AMMON ADJUSTABLE BAG HOLDER Filed Sept. 30, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE BAG HOLDER Edward R. Ammon, Reading, Pa.

Application September 30, 1940, Serial No. 359,131

7 Claims.

This invention relates to bag holders such as are'used to support bags with their mouths open for the deposit of articles therein. Such holders find utility, for example, in hosiery mills to support bags in which stockings are deposited at the completion of certain processing steps for transportation in bags to other parts of the mills.

The usual type of bag holder consists in a rigid frame member, such as a ring, supported by a suitable pedestal in which the bag is inserted with its mouth end folded outwardly and downwardly over th ring. With such an arrangement the mouth end of the bag is not firmly supported in the absence of special securing means, and is likely to slip off the ring. Furthermore, the ring is usually adapted to accommodate only bags of one circumferential size.

The object of the present invention is to provide a bag holder which permits the ready application thereto, and removal therefrom, of bags, and which is so arranged that the bag mouth will be stretched and firmly supported so as to permit the ready introduction of articles into the bag. It is a further object of the invention to provide an adjustable bag holder which will accommodate bags of different circumference.

The invention will be understood by reference to the illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings.

In such drawings:

ig. 1 is a side elevation of the bag holder according to the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation corresponding to Fig. 1.

Briefly described, the invention comprises a base member on which two opposing bag supporting sections are mount-ed for swinging movement to and from each other. Mechanism is provided for collapsing and expanding the coacting bag holding sections as will more fully hereafter appear.

In the drawings I I] designates a supporting base member which may be conveniently formed as a cast metal frame. As best shown in Fig. 1, one of the bag supporting sections comprises a lower frame member II, which may be of cast metal, and an upper metal rail I2 which may also be of cast metal, such two members being connected together at their opposite ends by metal rods I3 and I4 fitted into bores formed in the'ends of members II and I2, The second bag supporting section is formed in the same manner, as will be clear from Fig. 2, and consists in a lower member I5 similar to member I I, an upper member 16 similar to member l2 and connecting bars such as IT similar to the bars I3 and I4.

Formed integrally with the respective lower members II and I5, or secured thereto, are lugs I8 seating in recesses I9 at th opposite sides of the base frame [0. Pivot bolts 20 secure the lugs in position and mount the opposite bag supporting sections for swinging movement to and away from each other.

Mounted medially of one end of the base frame I0 is a bracket 40 on which is pivotally mounted by means of bolt 2 I a bushing member 22 having fixed thereto a link arm 23. A link arm 24 is pivotally connected to the lower end of arm 23 by bolt 25, and the outer end of arm 24 is secured to a collar 26 on rod I3 by means of a stud bolt 21. The inner end of the stud bolt engages rod [3, and permits collar 26 to be adjusted upwardly and downwardly to different positions. A link arm 28 is connected with the upper end of arm 23 by bolt 29. and the outer end of arm 28 is connected to collar 30 on rod ll of the second side section by means of stud bolt 3|. It will be evident that by adjusting collars 26 and 30 on their respective rods the spacing between the respective bag supporting side sections may be changed. It will be evident that the downward movement of either one or both collars 26 and 3|] will increase the spacing between the bag engaging members I2 and I6 at the upper ends of the structure, and similarly the upward movement of either or both collars 26 and 30 will decrease the spacing between said members.

Bushing member 22 to which is secured link member 23 has a cross bore therein providing a socket in which is secured an actuating rod 32. A pedal 33 may be provided at the outer end of the rod, although manual or other means may be provided for operating the device. Arrangement is provided for yieldingly holding the opposite bag supporting sections in spaced relation. Such an arrangement includes a pair of socket members 36 and 31 pivotally mounted by means of bolts 34 and 35 to the respective lower members I I and I5 of the swinging side sections. Members 36 and 31 have stud rods 38 and 39 secured in sockets therein, and such stud rods telescopically engage and support a tubular sleeve 40. A coiled spring 4| is mounted over the sleeves and stud rods so as to be held between the opposite ends of members 36 and 31, thereby to hold the opposite frame members yieldingly in spaced relation.

In applying a bag to the apparatus, the actuating arm 32 is depressed, thereby rotating link arm 23. Through arms 24 and 28 the opposite supporting members are drawn inwardly to the broken line position as shown in Fig. 2. A bag is then inserted between the opposite side members and the mouth thereof is folded downwardly over the top members [2 and I6. Actuating rod 32 is then released, whereupon spring 4| expands the members outwardly so as to open and maintain extended the mouth of the bag. When the bag is to be removed the actuating rod 32 is again depressed which releases the tension on the bag mouth and enables the bag mouth to be turned upward easily off members l2 and I6, and the bag can then be easily raised out of the apparatus. The left end of the apparatus, as viewed in Fig. 1, is preferably open so that the bag may be removed between the opposite side members at such end.

It will be evident that by reason of the form and arrangement of the apparatus the same is capable of use with bags of different circumferential size since the opposite side members will be automatically spaced according to the diameter of the bag when in position through operation of spring 4 I.

The invention may be embodied in a variety of forms and it will be understood that the form herein shown and described is merely illustrative.

I claim:

1. A bag holder including a base member, a pair of upstanding bag supporting frame sections pivotally mounted in opposing relation on the base member for swinging movement towards and from each other, an actuating arm pivotally mounted on the base member, an arm rotatable with said actuating arm, and a pair of link arms connecting the opposite ends of said rotatable arm to the respective bag supporting frame sections and operable through rotation of the actuatingarm to move the bag supporting frame sections towards each other.

2. A bag holder including a base member, a pair of upstanding bag supporting frame sections pivotally mounted in opposing relation on the base member for swinging movement towards and from each other, an actuating arm pivotally mounted on the base member, an arm rotatable with said actuating arm, a pair of link arms connecting the opposite ends of said rotatable arm to the respective bag supporting frame sections and operable through rotation of the actuating arm to move the bag supporting frame sections towards each other, and spring means interposed between the frame sections for spreading the frame sections apart.

3. A bag holder including a base member, a pair of upright frame sections mounted on and upstanding from the base member in opposing relation, coacting bag-engaging members mounted on the upper ends of the respective frame sections, hinge means connecting the lower end of at least one of the frame sections to the base member for swinging movement towards and away from its opposing frame section, and actuating means for moving the hinged frame section relative to its opposing frame section mounted on the base member and operatively connecting with the Swinging frame section adjacent its hinged lower end in a position free from interference with a bag supported by the frame sections.

4. A bag holder including a base member, a pair of upright bag-supporting frame sections mounted on and upstanding from the base member in opposing relation to each other, hinge means connecting the lower end of at least one of the frame sections to the base member for swinging movement towards and away fromits opposing frame section, a pedal member pivotally mounted on the base member adjacent the lower ends of the frame sections, and means actuatable by the pedal member to swing one of the frame sections relative to its opposing frame section.

5. A bag holder including a base member, a pair of upstanding bag-supporting frame sections mounted in opposing relation on the base member, one of said frame sections being pivotally mounted on the base member for swinging movement towards and from the other frame section, an actuating member mounted on the base member, and toggle mechanism operable by the actuating member to swing the pivotally mounted frame section relative to its opposing frame section.

6. A bag holder including a base member, a pair of upstanding bag-supporting frame sections pivotally mounted in opposing relation on the base member for swinging movement towards and away from each other, an actuating arm pivotally mounted on the base member, and a pair of link arms pivotally connected to the respective bag-supporting frame sections and operable through movement of the actuating arm to move the bag-supporting frame sections relative to each other.

7. A bag holder including a base member, a pair of upstanding bag-supporting'frame sections pivotally mounted in opposing relation on the base member for swinging movement towards and away from each other, an actuating arm pivotally mounted on the base member, a pair of link arms pivotally connected to the respective bag-supporting frame sections and operable through movement of the actuating arm to move the bag-supporting frame sections relative to each other, and spring means interposed between the frame sections for spreading the frame sections apart.

EDWARD R. AMMON. 

